


Daring

by LordVoldymort



Category: Stormlight Archive - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, OOC, Self-Indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:27:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27075733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordVoldymort/pseuds/LordVoldymort
Summary: On a rare night off, Bridge Four plays Truth or Dare. Hijinks ensue.
Relationships: Kaladin/Renarin Kholin
Comments: 12
Kudos: 70





	Daring

**Author's Note:**

> This thing is super rushed and entirely self-indulgent. It is 12:46 A.M. Don't @ me.

“There’s no way that happened,” said Drehy. He leaned against the wall, taking a sip of his drink as Lopen moved his hands in exaggerated gestures.

“I’m telling you, Gon! She was whipped the minute she saw me. All I had to do was wink at her, and she gave me those eyes that meant – ”

“Ha!” interrupted Rock. “Too much air makes him think he can waste it all by talking.”

Renarin tuned out the conversation. It was one of those rare, peaceful nights when things had turned out alright. Bridge Four was taking a break. Lyn, Sigzil, and Teft had used the extra time to turn in early. Most others sat clustered around an empty pot of stew, listening in varying states of amusement and disbelief as Lopen told them of his plan to seduce Queen Fen. Adolin and Shallan had shown up at some point. Then Leyten had somehow procured several bottles of wine, and now they were all stuffed and mildly intoxicated.

Adolin’s laughter made Renarin turn his head. “I tell you what. I bet you two diamond broams you don’t do it.”

Lopen waved his hand, as if to dismiss him. “You make it too easy! No dare is too daring for The Lopen.”

“I don’t believe that,” said Adolin. “There must be _something.”_

Skar snorted. “You’re walking dangerous territory, there.”

But the warning came too late, and Lopen was already grinning in that fiendish way that spoke of catastrophe. He took a swig straight from one of the bottles. “I’ll prove it to you. Truth or dare.”

Drehy rolled his eyes. “Aren’t we too old for that?”

“You’re never too old for fun, Gancho.”

Next to Adolin, Shallan’s hair turned brown. She adopted Veil’s casual pose, loosening her shoulders. “It’s a drinking game. That makes it perfectly mature in my eyes.”

“And you all want to play this thing?” asked Rock, shaking his head. “I will not be here when you Airsick Lowlanders get into trouble.”

Adolin shrugged. “Have it your way. I’ve never lost.”

Renarin shrunk into the corner, where he’d been sitting quietly next to Rlain. Veil spotted them and smirked. “Come join us! Wallflowers are banned tonight.”

“Um, I don’t think – ”

“Come on!” she said.

Renarin sighed, shooting a look of solidarity at an equally reluctant Rlain as they stood up and joined the circle. Lopen took another swig from the wine bottle, emptying its last drops of liquid, and then handing it to Adolin. “He can go first, since he doubts my commitment.” 

Adolin grinned and spun the bottle, which immediately pointed in Lopen’s direction. “Hey! You can’t just lash things when you want it to be your turn.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Gon,” said Lopen. “I choose dare.”

Adolin made a show of thinking hard about something. “Hm...I dare you to play the rest of this round upside down, from the ceiling. On one foot.”

“Oh, come on! That’s so mild,” said Skar. “You couldn’t have told him to jump from the top of the top of tower, or something?”

“Maybe this way he’ll get some blood in his head,” said Drehy.

Lopen sucked in Stormlight and began walking up one of the walls until he was standing on the roof, supported by only one foot. “Is that all you got?”

“I’ll come up with something worse. Give me time,” said Adolin. He took a drink.

*

As the night progressed, Renarin found himself laughing. Leyten was forced to chug a whole jug of Horneater White, and then had to use Stormlight to stand upright again. Veil used her Lightweaving to look like an ardent and steal a sword, while Adolin tried (and failed) to convince Zahel to switch clothes with him. Drehy told them his most embarrassing story, which was rather scandalous and involved three safehands and a chull. Rlain played a prank on Wit, succeeded, and then laughed as Skar suffered the consequences. Hobber, who had joined them halfway through, got eliminated after refusing to tell Jasnah a pickup line.

By that point, everyone except Rock was far too inebriated for rational thought. Perhaps that was why Renarin had let himself relax. Then the bottle landed on him.

Veil’s grin was almost feral as she regarded the scene. Renarin gulped. “Truth or dare?”

“Truth,” said Renarin.

“Hmm…Who do you like?”

“Seriously? I have knowledge of the future and _that’s_ what interests you?” Renarin looked at his friends, expecting them to laugh at the immature question, but his stomach dropped as he noticed the blatant curiosity in their faces. “Um. Why are you assuming I like someone?”

Adolin, especially, had taken great interest in the conversation. Veil laughed. “You’re blushing.”

“I’m not. You’re just saying that so I’ll admit to it.”

“There _is_ something to admit, then.”

“Dare.”

Veil’s grin got even wider. “Alright. I dare you to go out into the corridor and kiss the first person you see.”

“What?! What if it’s – what if it’s Navani or something?”

“I dare you to kiss the first person you see who isn’t your immediate relative.”

“That’s…” said Renarin. “I can’t do that!”

“Do you yield, then?”

They expected it of him. All his life, Renarin had been the reasonable brother. He’d followed the rules, kept quiet and proper even while watching everyone else’s debauchery. Their teasing grins spoke the truth of it. Perhaps that was why he stood up.

“I’ll do it,” he said.

Adolin’s eyes widened, and Veil clapped her hands in anticipation.

Renarin grabbed a bottle from Lopen, tipping it back and scrunching his nose at the taste of cheap wine. His heart was beating so fast. It reminded him of Gly’s whizzing around the room when he was excited. He opened the door with such trepidation it was as if it would bite him, the creak echoing throughout Urithiru’s cavernous halls.

Coming down the passageway was…no one. He let out of a sigh of relief.

Veil pouted. “Well, that’s disappointing.”

From somewhere in the back, Rlain spoke to the rhythm of Amusement. “I don’t know why he does this to himself. As if the truth wasn’t obvious already.”

Everyone turned to him, confused.

“Gancho, you’ve lost me there.”

“Yeah,” said Skar. “No one _does_ know.”

“I never told you!” said Renarin.

“Ah, of course,” said Rlain. “You people are so dense sometimes. Always in mateform. You don’t see the things that happen right before your eyes.”

Renarin _did_ blush, this time, though everyone else was too busy pestering Rlain for information. Then his internal organs decided to tie themselves into a knot, because he heard the echo of footsteps coming towards the group.

Kaladin Stormblessed, with dark circles under his eyes that were at least a week old and a resting face to scare off a Thunderclast, was having his version of a leisure stroll. Several heads whipped in his direction.

Behind Renarin, Adolin burst out laughing. Lopen drew in Stormlight. At Veil’s questioning look, he said, “Got to be sober for _this._ ”

Renarin let out a groan, and Kaladin’s turned towards the open doorway at the sound. “What…Why are you all standing there?”

Adolin doubled over, wheezing with laughter, and Drehy patted his back so he didn’t choke. Renarin blanched. He tried backing away, but stumbled into Veil.

“No explaining. Do it or yield,” she said, holding him in place.

Confusion lined Kaladin’s features. Renarin took a deep breath, felt as his heart whirled upon itself several thousand times a second. He took a step forward.

“I am _incredibly sorry_ for this,” he said. “Please don’t hit me that hard.”

Then he leaned up and kissed Kaladin square on the mouth. With the lightest of grazes, it felt like Stormlight surging at the point of contact, tingling all the way down Renarin’s spine and through his body until the entire world was reduced to a buzz. This close, he could smell the soap Kaladin used, feel the sharp prickling of the stubble on his chin, the rough texture of his chapped lips, the surprising softness of his long hair.

Kaladin froze. He inhaled sharply through his nose; the sound magnified a thousand times over in the stillness of the moment. All rationality which had fled Renarin’s brain upon kissing him suddenly barged its way back in. He made to pull away, already formulating an escape plan. Then he felt a strong arm wrap around his waist, bringing him closer. Faintly, he noted somebody’s startled gasp behind him.

Renarin’s entire body shook as he cradled Kaladin’s strong chin. Kaladin, unlike him, _did_ know what to do with his hands. He felt gentle fingers running through his hair, making him burn even in the chill of Urithiru’s corridors. He tilted his head, deepened the kiss, placed his spare hand on Kaladin’s chest. The coarse thread of his uniform jacket stood out, crisp in the overwhelming muddle of Renarin’s senses. Kaladin’s heartbeat was even faster than his. Barely anything separated them. Flashes of Kaladin’s bare chest surged unbidden in Renarin’s mind. He felt his cheeks heat up, pulled away at last before any further public embarrassment.

They stared at each other. Kaladin’s expression was blank stone, though the redness creeping up his neck betrayed him. Renarin’s mind disintegrated and then built itself back up one piece at a time.

“Uh, Kal…” came Adolin’s voice from behind Renarin. “Not to ruin the moment or anything, but did I just watch you make out with my brother?”

They sprang apart so fast it was as if they’d been lashed in opposite directions. Kaladin seemed to realize they weren’t alone at the same time that Renarin remembered it. Veil was looking at them with unabashed delight, while Hobber just stood there, jaw gaping open. Rlain appeared rather bored by the whole affair.

Kaladin’s eyes looked everywhere but their faces. Everyone stood in silence for several awkward seconds. 

“That was ridiculously tender,” said Skar.

Drehy grinned. “Twice as manly indeed.”

“Wait, I don’t get it,” said Lopen. “Who does Renarin like?”

They all shot him pointed looks.

“Oh. _Oh._ ” Lopen glanced back and forth between Renarin and Kaladin.

“Do _any_ of you not see how this conversation would be a lot better if we weren’t here?” said Rlain. “Come on!”

He ushered everyone inside and closed the door, leaving them alone in the corridor. Kaladin raised an eyebrow, speaking at last. “Was it Lopen who dared you?”

“What?”

“Oh, don’t give me that!” said Kaladin. “I’m not one of the Ten Fools. Anyone could tell what was going on.”

“Why’d you do it, then?”

Kaladin shrugged. “You weren’t sorry.”

Renarin shook his head. “So, do you, um… ”

“For months!” Kaladin laughed. “I know you all think I’m oblivious, but even I can flirt. Kind of. I wasn’t about to turn down that opportunity.” 

“But – Why didn’t you just ask me on a date?!”

Kaladin looked at him in disbelief. “I did! _Twice._ I thought you just weren’t interested.”

“But – ”

“When people ask you to dinner with them, they don’t mean it platonically.”

“Oh,” said Renarin. “So, the other day. That man…”

“Yes, he absolutely was,” said Kaladin. “It’s like you walk around completely unaware of how attractive you are.”

“You can’t just _say_ something like that!” said Renarin, looking down. His cheeks were blazing.

“Being subtle doesn’t work with you.”

Renarin laughed abashedly, fiddling with the end of his jacket. “I guess not.”

“So,” said Kaladin. “For the third time. Renarin, will go to _dinner_ with me?”

“And just to clarify,” added Renarin, smiling. “It’s a date.”

“Rest assured.”

“I would love to,” he said. They looked at each other like idiots. Kaladin stepped closer, took Renarin’s hand in his own and intertwined their fingers. Renarin leaned in until only the barest move would have their lips touching.

This time, it was Kaladin who bridged the distance.


End file.
